1. Field of Invention
The technical scope of the invention is that of propellant charge casings for ammunition.
2. Description of Related Art
A piece of ammunition is known from European Patent No. 314,547 which comprises a fin-stabilized projectile and a casing. In such a piece of ammunition, the propellant charge is incorporated into a part surrounding the tail-piece, which is arranged in a casing connected to the projectile. The casing is made of a combustible material as is the stub.
One of the main drawbacks to this type of casing is its manufacturing and implementation cost. The material is fragile and may deteriorate as the ammunition ages, releasing part of its propellant charge and modifying the ballistic characteristics of the ammunition. The use of a combustible material for the casing also presents risks during the manufacture of the charge, as well as during the component storage phases. Additionally, the risks inherent in using a combustible material require specific installations and procedures to be set up both for the manufacture of the casing and for the storage of the raw materials. Such combustible casings also suffer from other drawbacks.
Thus, although combustible, the cover of the known casing can momentarily form an obstacle to the progression of the priming flame during the first moments of operation of the propellant system. Further, combustible casings can not be reused after disassembly of a piece of ammunition, for example, during the reconditioning of a propellant system after a period of storage. This causes additional costs.
Lastly, it is impossible for a combustible casing to be designed which is able to be used in a piece of ammunition wherein the primer tube must pass through the cover, as well as wherein the primer tube does not pass through the cover. In fact, if a drill hole is provided which passes through the cover, the propellant powder is likely to escape through the hole when the primer tube is not in the hole.